Emergency contraception (EC) is available in Hungary: LNG and UPA EC pills are included in national guidelines, and local pharmacies, hospitals, and family planning clinics distribute EC, but it is not reimbursed or covered by social security. In 2026 Hungary remains the last country in the European Union to require a medical prescription to obtain any kind of EC pill.
- Sexual & reproductive health background information
- Accessibility & prescription status
- Cost
- Guidelines & common practices
- EC use
Sexual & reproductive health background information
| Female population aged 15-49 | Mean age at first sexual intercourse | Mean age at birth of first child | Total fertility rate | % use of modern contraceptive methods | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estimate | 2,366,0001 | n/a | 27.31 | 1.341 | 71.3%2 |
| Year | 2012 | n/a | 2012 | 2012 | 1992-93 |
Accessibility & prescription status
In Hungary, LNG and UPA EC pills are available by prescription. Despite the European Medicines Agency recommendation to authorize the sales of UPA EC without prescription, on January 2015 the Hungarian government informed that based on patient-safety considerations, it would continue to require a prescription for all emergency contraceptives.3
Physicians are the sole health care professionals who are authorized to prescribe EC pills.
Cost
| Type of EC | Approximate Cost (in Euros) | Brand(s) Available |
|---|---|---|
| LNG | € 22 | Escapelle |
| UPA | € 28 | ellaOne |
The cost of EC is not reimbursed or covered by social security in Hungary.
Guidelines & common practices
In 2012, the Hungarian edition of Emergency Contraceptive Pills: Medical and Service Delivery Guidelines (3rd edition) was published under the title, SÜRGŐSSÉGI FOGAMZÁSGÁTLÓ TABLETTÁK Irányelvek orvosok és egészségügyI ellátó hálózatok számára and with the endorsement of the Academic Committee Working Group on Reproductive Health of the Hungarian Scientific Society of Family and Women Protection. In addition, Hungary uses the World Health Organization’s Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use as guidelines for EC.
EC use
| Ever use of EC | EC use in the last 12 months | % with no prescription | Repeated use of EC in last 12 months | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estimate | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Year | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Sources
1 Hungarian Central Statistical Office. Retrieved 1 August 2013, from www.ksh.hu.
2 United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Contraceptive Use 2012. New York, 2012.
3 Website of the Hungarian Government. January 16, 2015. Betegbiztonsági szempontok miatt továbbra is vényköteles a sürgősségi fogamzásgátló. Retrived on September 18, 2015 at https://www.ec-ec.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Emmi-betegbiztonsagi-szempontok-miatt-marad-venykoteles-a-surgossegi-fogamzasgatlo-Fogamzasgatla.pdf or http://www.kormany.hu/hu/emberi-eroforrasok-miniszteriuma/hirek/betegbiztonsagi-szempontok-miatt-tovabbra-is-venykoteles-a-surgossegi-fogamzasgatlo
Last update: June 2026
Previous update: September 2015